Rochester plans to buy land from local fairgrounds’ owners

February 14, 2018

ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The city of Rochester has agreed to a deal with the Rochester Fairgrounds to buy a portion of the fairgrounds for about $450,000.

The city and the Rochester Agricultural and Mechanical Association both confirmed Tuesday that they have struck a deal in principle for the city to buy about 11 acres of land inside the fairgrounds. Foster’s Daily Democrat reports the city plans to use the land to build a new Public Works facility, while simultaneously giving the fairgrounds capital to pay off incurred debts.

RAMA is a nonprofit group of stockholders that owns the Rochester Fairgrounds. Last year, the stockholders supported selling a portion of the fairgrounds after the cancellation of the 2017 fair.

City Attorney Terence O’Rourke says the details will be “hammered out” by end of month.